# Samuel Gawiths Black XX Kendal Twist



## Scott M (Jan 4, 2005)

*Samuel Gawiths Black XX Kendal Twist.*

*I AM NOW A MAN AMONG MEN!!!*

Permit me a small digression; Back in High School, I was kinda into the whole mil-spec wannabe thing. Had a few catalogs from different branches and a one or two from overseas, one of which was a SOF poster that read "Be a man among men... join the Rhodesian Army". Kind of touched the little mercenary inside me... the young, wild, adventerous, boldly-going kinda guy I am.... or not.

But it's that attitude I had when I fired up a (decidedly small) bowl of Black XX. This rope has a reputation of being a nicotine-laden smoke bomb. But what the heck... I'm a Marine...I'm bullet-proof. It starts out in rope form, so it's gotta be snipped up to get it going. It has a fruity, plum-like aroma in the tin which is not unpleasent.

So I've got this stuff going in my cob which is like a Dunhill bowl size 0.5, and the only comment I can make about it's overall flavor is "chunky". Nothing incredibly harsh, no bite, but not exactly smooth, either. Some VA comes through at times, but it's got nothing that stays in one place long enough to get a fix on.

Except the nicotine.

Although I'm curently trying to quit dip, I've still got a nic tolerance that I'll put up against anyones and this stuff hit me hard. Didn't get to the knee-scraping, commode-hugging stage, but I did head for the showers feeling like I'd just recieved a month-long massage from an entire sorority house. (Feel free to come back to this fantasy at a time of your own choosing.)

This stuff needs to be dried out immensely, and / or smoked in a cob or meer... it comes kinda wet and the style isn't set up to dry quickly or easily. It can be cut thick or thin and left in coins or rubbed out, (treated as any other flake), or chopped fine. Ropes also have the unique atribute of being originally meant to chew. Not that anyone I know would be tempted, but still an interesting historical tid-bit.

I can only recommend this tobacco to those with a desire for a huge nic hit. Maybe after I finish the whole tin will I be able to discern its more subtle qualities. Like that's gonna happen sometime soon. I've seen the elephant on this one, and it is a large and untamed beast. If you need to SERIOUSLY unwind, this stuff'll do it, but it's in no way, shape, or form an all day smoke. And to those with a mercenary inkling, I can only say sign the "next of kin" line.

*Samuel Gawiths Squadron Leader.*

This blend has a reputation as a very good medium to full English blend. IMHO, it is well deserved. After a steady diet of Dunhills My Mixture 965, I found SL to be less muddled, smoother and richer. The individual tobaccos seem to reveal themselves throughout the course of the smoke without overpowering the others. The latakia punch yields to the VA creaminess gives way to the Turkish... turkishness... without any loss of input from the chourus. Each of the componants flavors are distinct and more pronounced than I've found in other English blends and they seem to impart their qualities in a way that seems orchestrated verses being all lumped in together.

The tobacco I recieved needed to be dried out considerably, and it's cut a little longer than I like, but niether of these qualities detracts from the experience. Although it can be hard to find appearently, any fan of english / latakia blends should give this tobacco a try.

Cheers!


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## fitzsmoke (Mar 9, 2006)

*Re: Pipe Tobacco Reviews*

Excellent review and I agree with your experience.


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## fitzsmoke (Mar 9, 2006)

*Re: Pipe Tobacco Reviews*

My response was meant for S.G Black Twist.


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## ghostrider (Oct 30, 2005)

Good god, I tried some of the black twist today. I only filled the bowl halfway, and only finished half of that. I did have a hard time keeping it lit, so I'll have to make sure to let it air out a bit before filling the bowl.

Not much in the way of flavor, but it does have a very strong smokey/sweet aroma. I knew from the first mouthful of smoke, this was gonna kick my a$$. Definitely not for the light of heart. I have 1 oz of this stuff. Might just be a lifetime supply!


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